Well, a few weeks later we packed our bags, jumped on a plane to LA and checked into our first hotel to begin our great Californian honeymoon adventure; I wearily opened my luggage, and who should I find? Mabel, of course.

And so it came to pass that primary schools began to drop the traditional Nativity Play from their winter schedules, favouring instead a Winter Celebration which offended nobody and in which everyone got a part.

You could argue, then, that we should stop crying at John Lewis ads in protest, because the soppy music, the cute critters, the clever promotion and the merchandise are all a cunning plan to claw our money out of our pockets via our teary eye sockets. But try not to be so cynical.